Mike Bauer

Asides

I’m Mike Meissner, host of KRFY’s 70’s Classics show. The IRS knows me as Mike Bauer. I am a late baby boomer, having grown up as a suburban kid in the suburbs of Detroit spending my formative years worshipping my idol rockstars. I was a latchkey child, whose parents were a bit absent at times, but I had friends with whom I would hang out and wear out the vinyl. After receiving Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick for my 13th birthday, I was hooked on music.

In ’74, I was 15 and staying off the streets, but I was legally loitering at the hometown record store, having been “adopted” by a kindly young childless couple who owned the joint. I spent my days frolicking among the albums, which contained the endless bits of information I craved. I organized all of the albums meticulously by artist, and then in alphabetical order by the name of the album. For those of you who are 70s audiophiles, you’ll remember 1974 was one of the best years ever for classic albums. Steely Dan’s Pretzel Logic. Bad Company. Robin Trower’s Bridge of Sighs. Big singles from Steve Miller, John Denver, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Redbone.

One day, toward the end of that memorable summer, my mentor invited me to a trip to a wholesale record outlet in Detroit. He said, “I want to buy you an album, just pick one.” My eyes grew wide and my excitement quickly turned into the realization that I was about to make a monumental decision. The verdict: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. As with all things, the summer came to an end, they closed the record store, and I had a good cry.

Now, back to the show. If you’re in my demographic, I hope my rambling has stirred your memories of the great music of the 70’s. Or, perhaps you’re a bit younger and you have found yourself humming along to some Pink Floyd. If either sounds like you, tune in to 70’s Classics every Saturday night at 7 pm on KRFY 88.5 for a commercial free hour of some of your favorite 70’s tunes. I’ll be there, as the good folks at KRFY have given me a place to go to keep me off the streets.l;